Close Encounters With the Environment
What’s Eating You? Flat Rock Scorpion (Hadogenes granulatus)
Dirk M. Elston, MD
he flat or granu- lated rock scorpion, T Hadogenes granulatus (Figure), is native to Africa, especially Mozambique. Because it has a relatively mild sting (similar to a wasp or bee), it is one of the scorpions commonly sold and kept as pets. Other scorpions commonly kept as pets include the Java forest scorpion (Heterometrus javanensis), the shiny burrow- ing scorpion (Oposthophalmus glabrifrons), the Tanzanian redclaw scorpion (Pandinus cavimanus), the Thai black scorpion (Heterometrus spinifer), and the West African emperor Flat rock scorpion. or imperial scorpion (Pandinus imperator). Although I world’s least venomous scorpions. Members of the do not own a pet scorpion, nor advocate owning one, genus grow to impressive sizes, with some attaining the practice is fairly common, and stings from exotic lengths of more than 21 cm. A few members of the species commonly occur in temperate climates. genus are reported to spray venom in self-defense. Similar to spiders, scorpions are arachnids. Venom sprayed into the eyes can be quite painful They belong to the order Scorpiones. The arachnid and might impair vision. H granulatus is a relatively group also contains the order Araneae (spider), nonvenomous scorpion with a bulky cephalothorax, Uropygi (whip scorpion), and Amblypygi (tailless a broad-segmented abdomen, and a long thin deli- whip scorpion). cate tail-like structure called a telson. This species is South Africa is home to one of the world’s most not known to spray venom. Because their eyesight is dangerous scorpions, Parabuthus transvaalicus (the poor, scorpions depend heavily on vibration-sensing South African fattail scorpion).1-4 It also is home organs, including the hairs located on the surface to the genus Hadogenes, containing some of the of the pedipalps (pincers) and pectines (comblike organs under the body). Scorpions will erect their tails in response to vibration and strike if threat- Accepted for publication June 7, 2006. ened. Although the sting of Hadogenes scorpions is From the Departments of Dermatology and Laboratory Medicine, very mild, they possess a pair of large powerful pedi- Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania. palps reported to be capable of splitting fingernails. The author reports no conflict of interest. Therefore, they should be handled with care. Aller- The image is in the public domain. Reprints: Dirk M. Elston, MD, Departments of Dermatology and gic reactions to other scorpions have been reported Laboratory Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center, 100 N Academy with venom-specific immunoglobulin E immuno- Ave, Danville, PA 17821 (e-mail: [email protected]). blotting.5,6 Allergy is a potential problem with any
VOLUME 79, APRIL 2007 273 Close Encounters With the Environment
stinging arthropod, but the complete absence of data on this particular species in the medical litera- ture suggests problems are rare. Treatments for split nails and the usual mild sting reactions are largely symptomatic. Ice, topical anesthetics, and analge- sics may be warranted.
References 1. Bergman NJ. Clinical description of Parabuthus transvaali- cus scorpionism in Zimbabwe. Toxicon. 1997;35:759-771. 2. Gaban D. Parabuthus transvaalicus (Purcell). Forum Am Tarantula Soc. 1997;6:157-158. 3. Newlands G. The venom-squirting ability of Parabuthus scorpions (arachnida: buthidae). S Afr J Med Sci. 1974;39:175-178. 4. Saunders CR, Morar AB. Beware of the scorpion parabu- thus. Cent Afr J Med. 1990;36:114-115. 5. Demain JG, Goetz DW. Immediate, late, and delayed skin test responses to Centruroides vittatus scorpion venom. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995;95:135-137. 6. Nugent JS, More DR, Hagan LL, et al. Cross-reactivity between allergens in the venom of the common striped scorpion and the imported fire ant. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;114:383-386.
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